CATCH Health Cards launched in North Sikkim

MANGAN, 27 Oct: District Hospital, Mangan, North district organized inauguration cum distribution of Health cards under CATCH programme and Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram [RBSK] at the conference hall of District hospital on Saturday.
The programme started with welcome address delivered by CMO (N), Dr.DS Kerongi who informed about the importance of the programme.
Dr. Tempo T Kaleon of District hospital Mangan, in his address gave detailed information related to the Health card which is a pilot project under CATCH and RBSK and its importance. He also shared information on the data collected in the health related comprehensive report of North district. The chief guest handed over the Health cards to a few beneficiaries of Kazor ward of Lachen-Mangan constituency in the presence of ward Panchayat.
Mission Director, NRHM said that all the ward Panchayats and ASHA members should be aware about the scheme and all registered beneficiaries should take their Health cards from their respective PHCs or contact their ward Panchayat.
The programme concluded with vote of thanks by, Deputy Director, Health department, Dr. NB Sharma.

Dental hygiene initiative gets a boost, needs more assistance

GANGTOK, 16 Sept: Medical Officer of Tokal Bermiok PHC, Dr Karma Choden Bhutia has been getting an encouraging response to her “healthy Brush and Toothpaste” initiative.
She had started the initiative in June last year, providing free toothbrushes and toothpaste to school students, who, her work in rural Sikkim informed her, did not regularly brush their teeth or shared one brush with the entire family. It is informed that during the CATCH programme held at different villages, Dr Bhutia found students were not serious about dental health and hygiene.
The main idea of the initiative was to provide free brush and toothpaste for a year or two to students so that they could inculcate the habit of brushing daily. These students would in turn encourage their parents and elders at home to practice the same, it was hoped.
At present, this initiative covers 12 schools falling under the PHC where Dr Bhutia is posted. Now, some schools in other parts of the State have begun approaching Dr. Bhutia to extend the programme to their schools as well, it is informed.
Despite the programme’s success, however, Dr Bhutia is finding it difficult to provide one toothbrush to each student every month and one tooth paste to each student every three months.
Somani Enterprise Medical Store here in New Market has now come forward to support the initiative and the store will now also act as a drop-centre for those who want to support Dr Bhutia.  She has expressed her gratitude to CMO [South], Dr Bimal Rai, Rotary Club and her well-wishers for supporting the initiative. She has also thanked the teachers and her staff for their consistent support.  Dr Bhutia has further expressed her desire to extend this initiative state-wide.

Lack of manpower and awareness hindering proper implementation of CATCH

MEETING DISCUSSES PROGRESS OF CATCH AND NRHM
GANGTOK, 13 Sept: A coordination meeting to discuss the progress on Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual & Total Check up for Healthy Sikkim [CATCH] and National Rural Health Mission [NRHM] was held at the conference hall at the new Secretariat situated at Development Area today. The meeting was attended by Minister for Health DN Thakarpa, Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretaries and Heads of Department of various government departments, doctors, officials of Health Department and officials of CATCH and NRHM programme.
Speaking during the programme, Minister for Health DN Thakarpa stated that CATCH was a flagship programme of the state started by the Chief Minister, while NRHM was a national programme of the central government. The main objective of the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual & Total Check up for Healthy Sikkim [CATCH] is to prevent diseases, he added.
The rate of diseases in the state has come down quite drastically since the CATCH programme was implemented especially diseases related to hyper tension and diabetes, he said. “Problems will always be there while implementing any programme but we need to take them up as challenges”, the Minister added.
He also said that there is a lack of doctors and medical staff as we do not have the manpower for proper implementation of the programme and if the need arises, then he would take this matter up in the cabinet. If it becomes necessary to get more manpower then they consider appointing doctors and other required staff from outside the state on contractual basis of 3-5 years, he added.
Mentioning that the overall vision of the CATCH programme is to make Sikkim the healthiest state in India the Minister said, “We are on the track and will be able to reach the target by 2015 of being the second organic state in the country as well as fulfill the goal of implementing the CATCH programme in Sikkim”.
Speaking on the awareness needed for the CATCH programme, he stated that out of the 25 CATCH programmes held in the STNM Hospital till date and after spending Rs. 90,000, only 85 people turned up for the programme. Serious thinking needs to be done regarding bringing awareness about the programme amongst the people, he added.
Earlier in his address, the Director General cum Secretary Health Services, Dr K Bhandari informed that Sikkim was the only state in India where such a programme called CATCH has been envisioned and implemented. This is an annual feature started in August 2010 and in 2011 there were many problems initially, but now in 2012 things are looking better and everything is moving in the right direction, he added.
“The CATCH programme is more for prevention and collection of data rather than disease control as this will give us a clear picture of the diseases people of Sikkim suffer from with proper details”, he said and added that due to lack of manpower and doctors problems do arise now and then in implementation of the programme.
A briefing and presentation on the CATCH programme by Dr Keshri Rai [Joint Director, NCD] and another on NRHM by another doctor was also presented to the gathering. An open discussion regarding both the programmes was also held, wherein the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary shared their views and opinions.

4.28 lakh covered under CATCH so far

GANGTOK, 11 Sept: Chief Minister`s Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-up for Healthy Sikkim (CATCH) programme has been initiated in the state of Sikkim to achieve Mission Healthy Sikkim. Under the programme, various camps are being continuously held in all the district hospitals, health centers and in the Gangtok area where a thorough health check-up of every individual is being carried out.
A press release informs that as per the latest report, 4.28 lakh people have undergone basic health checkup where the medical staff conducted door-to-door survey, checking the Blood Pressure, sugar test and collected individual health profiles.
In the second phase, 2.20 lakh have undergone health check up and especially in Gangtok 38,419 benefitted from such camps.
With time people have learnt about the benefits of this programme and now people are actively participating, in fact, there have been times when people have been requested to come for the check-up the next day since it became impossible to cover all in one day, the release mentions.
Blood grouping, Hemoglobin, Serum cholesterol and Random Blood Sugar tests are being conducted during the camps while photographs of patients are also being taken for the health cards.
So far, the release mentions, 4.75 lakh lab tests have been conducted. One important test which is being conducted in the camp organized under the NCD, Division Health Services is the VIA test for married women above 30 years of age for cervical cancer.
In the said camp, the most common diseases found were high Blood Pressure, diabetes, stroke, skin diseases, cavities, sinusitis and alcoholism. Free medicine and counseling were also given during the camps.
This programme has been initiated in the interest of the public therefore it is an appeal to all the people of Sikkim to kindly attend the programme and take the benefit and help make Sikkim a healthy and disease-free state, the release further adds.

CATCH gets underway at Development Area

GANGTOK, 30 May: The Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-up for Healthy Sikkim (CATCH) programme for residents of Development Area began here at Nepali Sahitya Parishad Bhawan today.
The week-long programme from 30 May to 08 June organized by the NCD division under Health Care, Human Services and Family Welfare department was launched for Development Area by Gangtok, MLA, Dorjee Namgyal. Present for the launch function was Deputy Director, planning monitoring and evaluation (PME), C Khewa. The guests while speaking on the benefits and impact of the programme highlighted its importance and appealed to the general public to take the most out of this scheme.
It may be informed that for Development Area, everyday an estimated 200 persons, male and female are expected to be covered in the programme. Five doctors and fifteen nurses will be working here on all state government workdays.
Adarsh Samaj, a local NGO has been entrusted the responsibility to bring in 200 persons everyday from different parts of Development area in a phased manner so that the entire area can be covered without the Bhawan, where the screening is being conducted, going out of capacity.
During the period, laboratory investigations will be done that will include blood sugar tests for all pregnant ladies and people over 30 years of age. Other investigations being done on the spot are hemoglobin tests for persons over 12 years, cholesterol tests for 30 years and above, blood grouping (ABO&RH) grouping for all ages, and VIA for females above 30 years to detect early signs of cervix cancer, if any, along with urea and creatinine tests as per the need based on the other tests conducted.
As of now, a majority of the cases detected amongst women in the state have been of cervical cancer since this is a cancer that can be easily detected at the early stages at such temporary centers; amongst men, a majority of cases detected have been of diabetes, respiratory infections and cardio-vascular problems.
Further, the exercise of taking photos for health cards is also being done at the spot, the data from which is being stored for later when the same will be fed into the mother computer.

CATCH programme at STNM Hospital

GANGTOK, 15 Feb: The CATCH Programme (Chief Minister's Comprehensive Annual Total Checkup for Healthy Sikkim) is being organized at STNM Hospital, Gangtok with the support of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor of Tibet Road, Lower M.G. Marg and DPH of the Gangtok Municipal Corporation from 06 to 29 February.
A press release informs that the programme aims for complete health checkup of the public wherein the treatment and medicines are provided free of cost.
For further inquiry regarding the CATCH Programme, Addl. Medical Superintendent can be contacted in person or at 206227/9475077687, the release adds.

CATCH marches on strong, wins accolades as Sikkim inches closer to becoming healthier state

GANGTOK, 12 Jan: Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-Up for Healthy Sikkim [CATCH] programme has been highly appreciated by other states and even by the National Planning Commission, informs Additional Director [NCD Cell], Dr PM Pradhan, while adding that states like Gujurat and Himachal Pradesh have appreciated the programme and showed interest in adopting it for their states. Even the National Planning Commission has stressed that other states should follow this programme, he adds.
Addressing a press conference today, Dr Pradhan informed that since the launch of the programme by the Chief Minister on 26 August 2010, 92,600 persons have received the total check-up and that blood investigation has been done for more than 1.5 lakh people so far.
He informed that after receiving directions from the CM, the Department carried out the programme on a pilot basis by adopting 20 wards in East Sikkim in the early months of 2010. Five thousand people were covered and once the feasibility and benefits of the programme were established, the CATCH programme was extended to the entire State.
Dr Pradhan informed that taking the programme to a new area, it was discussed with the community and detailed background and information of the area, families and people residing there collated in a prescribed format.
He informed that the programme is now underway full swing and the department in the process of issuing health cards to the people and even the central government has issued directions to carry out compulsory tests for blood sugar of every person above 30 years of age and all pregnant women.
“So we have decided to cover East and South Sikkim within February with the CATCH programme, blood sugar test and also complete Ward Files, Family Folders and Individual Case Sheets,” he informed.
The Ward File will include information of the area [like common causes of death in the area, common ailments and such medical data], while the Family Folder will include these details family-wise and Individual Case Sheets, as the name suggests, will be for the individuals.
The process began for Gangtok on 06 January and is being carried out by 13 teams. These teams will fill up all three forms and then provide basic check-up with blood sugar tests and if some problems are identified, then the patient will referred be to the hospital.
He informed that the preparation and distribution of Health Cards will be taken up on a war-footing once all districts have been covered.
Dr. Pradhan stated that this health check-up is just the starting and not the end of the CATC programme as  continuous follow-up will be provided with service packages and referred to concerned health experts. He further added that the programme also includes initiatives for community mobilization to change unhealthy lifestyles.
About the findings, he informed that it was found that North Sikkim has more cases [on average] of hypertension and West Sikkim more cases of Malnutrition. He informed that East and South Sikkim will be covered with basic health check-up within this financial year.

Awareness and health check-up on vector-borne diseases held at Wok

NAMCHI, 21 Oct [IPR]: An awareness programme on Vector Borne Diseases was organized by the Health Department, South at Wok, Primary Health Sub Centre, which comes under Poklok-Kamrang constituency, also the home constituency of the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling, yesterday.

CATCH camp held at Lower Tingmoo, 150 families screened

NAMCHI, 14 Oct [IPR]: A special camp for the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual & Total Check-up for Healthy Sikkim (CATCH) was organized at the Primary Health Sub Centre of Lower Tingmoo under Barfung constituency of South Sikkim by Department of Heath on Thursday.

North meets to coordinate better for CATCH

MANGAN, 04 May: A district-level coordination meeting on Mission Healthy Sikkim and Chief Minister Comprehensive Annual and Total Health Checkup for Healthy Sikkim [CATCH] Sikkim, was convened by the Health Department at Mangan Zilla Bhawan on Tuesday.
The CMO (N), Dr IL Sharma, in his address informed that the Department has carried out 54 CATCH programmes in the district thus far. In some places, the public faced several problems due to the lack of a clear understanding of the CATCH programme which the Department will try to rectify, he assured.

CATCH starts with Saramsa for Shyari

GANGTOK, 02 May: Health camps under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual & Total Health Check-up for Healthy Sikkim [CATCH] for Shyari constituency began today from Saramsa ward.
The first total health check-up under the CATCH for the constituency was attended by the people from in and around Saramsa who were also provided with the medicines free of cost.
Doctors, technicians and staff from the Health Department, assisted by the local youth carried out the health check-up.
The camp was also visited by the Speaker, Sikkim Legislative Assembly, KT Gyaltsen, who is also the area MLA, who interacted with the people and doctors and technicians of the Health Department.

CATCH reaches Sokpay with health camp

A daylong health camp under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Annual & Total Health Check-up for Healthy Sikkim [CATCH], along with a “Mini Health Mela” under the RCH Program was organized yesterday at Sokpay Junior High School for areas serviced by the Yangang PHC by the Pacific Club
Sokpay is one of the under-served areas of South district, a Pacific Club press release informs. The health camp was serviced by CATCH Nodal Officer for South District, Dr. Ugen Sherpa, along with the Micro-Biologist from District Hospital [Namchi] and four doctors from Yangang and other places with PHSC staff from Neh-Broom, Lingmoo and Lingi LHV, BPM, Lab technician from Yangang PHC and NGO members.
Around 300 people attended the camp with 250 of them receiving treatment and free medicines, the release informs.
Zilla Panchyat Ram Katwal welcomed the specialists while Dr. Sherpa explained the CATCH programme. The RCH Mini Health Mela was explained by secretary, Pacific Club, Bishnu Pokhrel.

Mangan enrolls for CATCH

MANGAN, 24 March: A special programme for enrolment of beneficiaries under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-up for Healthy Sikkim (CATCH) was held at Mangan District hospital from 22 to 24 March for the public of Mangan Nagar Panchayat.

Minister calls on Docs to coordinate with panchayats to ensure complete awareness on CATCH

COORDINATION MEETING HELD FOR CM’S COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL AND TOTAL CHECK-UP PROGRAMME
GANGTOK, 20 Mar: A State-level coordination meeting on “Mission Healthy Sikkim” and “Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-up” [CATCH] for Healthy Sikkim, organized by the Health Department, was held at the conference hall of the Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial [STNM] Hospital on 19 March. The programme was chaired by the Health Minister DN Takarpa and attended by Gangtok Mayor KN Topgay, Deputy Mayor Shakti Singh, Zilla Adakshayas of the four districts, Chief Medical Officers, doctors and officials from the STNM Hospital and other concerned officials involved in the CATCH programme.